1. Field of the Invention
The invention is based on a module of a circuit arrangement which is preferably contained in a drive for a railroad vehicle and is of modular construction, as claimed in the preamble of patent claim 1.
2. Discussion of Background
A module of the abovementioned type is described, in particular in FIG. 6, in DE 196 30 284 A1. The module is a component of a circuit arrangement having n converter modules 40.1, . . . , 41.n which are connected in series with one another and whose outputs are connected parallel with one another. The outputs can be connected to converter modules 41.1, . . . , 41.m each having a traction motor 42.1, . . . , 42.m. The relatively high AC voltage between the traction wire 36 and the rail 37 of a drive for a railroad vehicle is split in the converter modules 40.1, . . . , 40.n corresponding to the number n of converter modules. A low output voltage is present at the outputs of the converter modules 40.1, . . . , 40.n, which is reduced corresponding to the number of modules n, is in each case DC-isolated from the input voltage by a transformer 6 (FIG. 1), and feeds the traction motors 42.1, . . . , 42.m via the converter modules 43.1, . . . , 43.m. Conversely, the traction motors can also feed into the power supply, via the partial converter modules, during braking of the railroad vehicle. Since all the converter modules have only a low voltage applied to them, they can be operated in a cost-effective manner using semiconductor switches 11 (FIG. 1) having a normal withstand voltage.